A DEPUTY headteacher has launched an unfair dismissal case against his former school.

Arthur Ian Lawson, who pleaded guilty to possessing 148 indecent images of children in April, has lodged an employment tribunal hearing claim against Clitheroe Royal Grammar School.

Mr Lawson, aged 49 at the time of his conviction, and the Ribble Valley School are scheduled to attend Alexander House in Manchester for the tribunal on September 15.

He is claiming unfair dismissal and that the school failed to allow him to take, or to pay him for, statutory annual leave entitlement.

In April Mr Lawson’s defence lawyer, Richard Simmons, told Preston Crown Court that he had “tendered his resignation” to the school.

Mr Lawson was suspended from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School after his name was given to Lancashire officers on the back of a national investigation by the CEOP child protection agency.

They seized two computers from his home in Barnacre Road, Longridge, and found the indecent images of children.

One of the pictures fell into the most series category of level five, another was in level four and the remaining 146 were in the lowest ranking, level one.

No children from the school were involved in any of the images.

Mr Lawson was arrested in March 2010 and charged in June.

He was sentenced to a three-year community supervision order and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for five years and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

He was also ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

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